Group Captain Shaliza Dhami becomes the first woman IAF officer to get command appointment

NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has selected Group Captain Shaliza Dhami to take over command of a frontline combat unit in the Western sector. She is the first woman to command any combat unit of IAF.

Commissioned as helicopter pilot in 2003, Gp Capt Shaliza Dhami is selected by #IAF to take over command of a frontline combat unit in the Western sector. With over 2800 hrs of flying experience, the Officer is commended by AOC-in-C on two occasions.@giridhararamane@IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/cJ5RXQfh9h

— A. Bharat Bhushan Babu (@SpokespersonMoD) March 7, 2023

Group Captain Dhami was commissioned in the year 2003 as a Helicopter pilot and has over 2800 hours of flying experience. A Qualified Flying Instructor, she has served as Flight Commander of a Helicopter Unit in the Western sector.

Having been commended by the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief on two occasions, the officer is presently posted in the Operations branch of a frontline Command Headquarters.

This comes close on the heels of Captain Shiva Chouhan of Indian Army’s Fire and Fury Corps becoming the first female officer to be operationally deployed in Siachen. Captain Chouhan was posted at the Kumar Post, which is located at an altitude of around 15,600 feet in Siachen in January for a three-month stint.